Bad Dreams
by Forensic Science
Summary: Ciel has a nightmare. Hurray for childhood trauma? This is a drabble, and it's rated conservatively.


Every night it was like punching a clock. Ciel rarely dreamed, and when he did, it was about nonsensical things, like flying and going on quests for cereal. He never told anyone about these dreams, of course, since they were never worth note. They were kind nights among the dark landscape of his mind. During these sleeping hours, he was allowed to roam free as a child, to have fun as he never could in his waking moments.

Of course, interspersed with the kind nights were bad ones, where nightmares would wrack his frail form and make him cry out for his mother and father. Those nights cemented his need for revenge, and to finish what had been started without his consent.

This was not one of the kind nights. Ciel twitched in surprise as his dreams unfolded. He was naked, which wasn't such a big deal, but when he moved to cover himself, he was chained down. The boy's eyes widened and he tugged at the chains, feeling the cold iron bite into his skin. He pulled harder, looking around and seeing his cage. The grinning faces outside made him shrink backwards, and he continued to pull, grunting with the effort.

But then there were hands gripping him, making him cry out. He struggled, trying to kick his way back to somewhere safe, but they simply gripped him harder. It was less a dream and more of a memory now, and Ciel whipped his head around, a low whine echoing inside of his throat. He knew what was going to happen. He pulled and tugged and struggled, but he knew what was going to happen.

The faces pressed in close, and hands touched his body, gripping his chin and making him look up, defiant until the moment of his demise. Someone slapped him, and he cried out at that, feeling his legs being tugged at while he tried to curl in on himself. They would have none of that, and despite his best efforts, he was slapped and prodded into place.

Soon enough, his head was pressed against the decorated table, and the pain began. "Sebastian!" Ciel called, still trying to get loose. "Sebastian!" Hands still pressed him down, forcing him into submission despite his struggles.

Of course, there was no Sebastian. The butler wasn't there for the longest time. He wasn't there for the scars and the sweat and the tears. And he wasn't there for the pain it caused, or the bloody wrists he was giving himself. He only showed up after all of it was too much, and Ciel had decided to die. For that's what it was as soon as he called that man.

The slap to his back made him cry out again, and Ciel bit his lips together as he tried to stop what was happening.

After minutes of agony, there was a short relief. A moment to catch his breath.

And then it started. Again.

And again.

And again, until Ciel's voice was raw from screaming and his whole body felt like it burned. His wrists ached, and his knees were shaking, and when it was finished he was left there, with no one to help him recover.

Suddenly, the boy's eyes snapped open. He was drenched in sweat, and his nightshirt stuck to his form uncomfortably. At his side, Sebastian stood, looking both concerned and amused at his young master's weakness. Typical demon.

Ciel grabbed for Sebastian's waist and clung there as his heart began to slow and his breathing calmed. The butler wrapped hesitant arms around him, and the only sound in the room was their breathing.

"Sebastian," Ciel said quietly, and the older man only smiled. He was still a little boy, despite all of his fancy clothes and worldly ways. If any of the staff had seen something like this, they would probably laugh, but not Sebastian.

True, the nightmares came rarely, but they came. Unlike the past, though, he had this one to hold onto. Ciel, wrapped in those warms arms, could almost mistake the demon's devotion for love during those times.

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><p>Hi there. I realize that this is drabble that has no play on either the manga or anime storyline, but I found this on my computer and I figured why not put it out there. Also, everything about this series does not belong to me. Unless this is some alternate reality where it does. Huh.<p> 


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